You dont have to reach for a pill or powder to get a workout boost. Several types of whole foods are proven ergogenics—substances that are known to enhance energy production or recovery. Best of all, with whole foods you get not only the performance aid but also all the other important nutrients that come with them. Here’s what science shows can help you get an edge, without putting a burden on your wallet.
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RAISINS
HOW MUCH: 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup, depending on the length of activity. Your body needs carbs as a primary energy source. But you don’t have to reach for bars or gels. Simple dried fruit like raisins can confer the same benefits at a fraction of the cost. Research from San Diego State University comparing equal amounts of carbs from raisins and sports gels found that the fruit provided the same benefits as the manufactured items as a pre-workout fuel for short-term exercise.
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COFFEE
HOW MUCH:1 to 2 cups (up to 16 ounces) delivers 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine. While coffee may be helpful to kick-start your day, the caffeine in that morning cup can also be a big boost to your workout. A review paper published in the journal Sports Medicine concluded that caffeine is perhaps most effective for activities that last 60 to 180 seconds, such as lifting weights or doing HIIT sequences in a workout.
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kroger&gross/stockfood
BEET JUICE
HOW MUCH: 1 cup Beets are rich in nitrate, which is converted in your body to nitric oxide (NO). NO can help increase blood flow by dilating arteries, aiding endurance and strength. (For natural supps that help boost strength, turn to page 94.) A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that subjects who took beetroot juice showed a 16% improvement in time to exhaustion on a cycling test. Because you need to eat a lot of beets to get the benefits, juice may be your best option.
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COTTAGE CHEESE
HOW MUCH: 1 cup provides 26 grams of protein and 2.7 grams of leucine, both of which hit the sweet spot for the amounts needed to make muscle “happen”. We know this dairy item is rich in protein, but it’s the type of amino acids that makes it especially key. Cottage cheese contains very high levels of leucine, the amino acid that helps trigger protein synthesis and is essential for building and maintaining muscle tissue.
You dont have to reach for a pill or powder to get a workout boost. Several types of whole foods are proven ergogenics—substances that are known to enhance energy production or recovery. Best of all, with whole foods you get not only the performance aid but also all the other important nutrients that come with them. Here’s what science shows can help you get an edge, without putting a burden on your wallet.
RAISINS
HOW MUCH: 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup, depending on the length of activity.
Your body needs carbs as a primary energy source. But you don’t have to reach for bars or gels. Simple dried fruit like raisins can confer the same benefits at a fraction of the cost. Research from San Diego State University comparing equal amounts of carbs from raisins and sports gels found that the fruit provided the same benefits as the manufactured items as a pre-workout fuel for short-term exercise.
COFFEE
HOW MUCH:1 to 2 cups (up to 16 ounces) delivers 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine.
While coffee may be helpful to kick-start your day, the caffeine in that morning cup can also be a big boost to your workout. A review paper published in the journal Sports Medicine concluded that caffeine is perhaps most effective for activities that last 60 to 180 seconds, such as lifting weights or doing HIIT sequences in a workout.
BEET JUICE
HOW MUCH: 1 cup
Beets are rich in nitrate, which is converted in your body to nitric oxide (NO). NO can help increase blood flow by dilating arteries, aiding endurance and strength. (For natural supps that help boost strength, turn to page 94.) A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that subjects who took beetroot juice showed a 16% improvement in time to exhaustion on a cycling test. Because you need to eat a lot of beets to get the benefits, juice may be your best option.
COTTAGE CHEESE
HOW MUCH: 1 cup provides 26 grams of protein and 2.7 grams of leucine, both of which hit the sweet spot for the amounts needed to make muscle “happen”.
We know this dairy item is rich in protein, but it’s the type of amino acids that makes it especially key. Cottage cheese contains very high levels of leucine, the amino acid that helps trigger protein synthesis and is essential for building and maintaining muscle tissue.
